It’s no secret that, by and large, car leasing has been down in the dumps since 2020 or so. Higher prices, higher money factors, and relatively low residuals have all conspired to make the model of getting a new car every few years at a lower payment but without any equity typically less appealing than simply financing. However, if you’re willing to hunt around and get a bit alternative, you can lease a brand new Mercedes-Benz for less than a base Honda Civic. How about that?
For context, I plugged the cheapest Honda Civic LX into Honda’s payment calculator over a 36-month term with 15,000 annual allotted miles, and it spit out an estimate of $412 per month with a $1,007 downpayment for buyers with excellent credit. The Civic’s a pretty sensible compact car that gets 36 MPG and feels well-made, but that’s a strong amount of money for the sort of car that, six years ago, could’ve been leased for an effective payment under $275 a month. Actually, it’s so much money that you can put a brand new Mercedes-Benz on your driveway for less, although there is a catch.
Yes, Mercedes-Benz, one of the world’s most illustrious automakers. The sort with steering wheels that people flex on Instagram, and a badge that’s known on every continent. Even though the marque’s ventured downmarket with models like the CLA, even that sedan carries a far more expensive asking price than a base Civic. Yet, the dirt-cheap Mercedes-Benz lease in question isn’t on a CLA. It’s on an EV, but one that’s not actually a car or even a crossover.
Say hello to the eSprinter, a magnificent machine for local deliveries but a wholly impractical daily driver unless you’re a tradesperson or something. The standard-range model only claims 150 miles on a charge, and a total length of 239.7 inches plus a standard height of 96 inches makes plugging into certain charging stations a little bit of a challenge. The low-spec model only has two seats so it’s not ideal for carpooling, and you aren’t getting painted bumpers as standard either.
However, the eSprinter is also brilliant. Not only is it a class-leading battery-powered van, it’s one of the best Mercedes-Benz models currently on sale. Our own Matt Hardigree lived with one, and guess what? It was fantastic.
The eSprinter is the only electrified Mercedes product I’ve driven that I think can fairly claim to be the best overall value in its segment. I know that $75k is a lot to pay for a fully loaded van, but I suspect this will be something that’s cheap to operate and maintain over the long term.
It’s also a superior driving experience to the diesel version so long as you’re not going on a lot of long trips, which is also not something that’s necessarily true of every product that offers both EV and gas-powered versions.
While the initial asking price for the eSprinter was a bit stiff, Mercedes-Benz may have overestimated demand for its electric cargo van. As we inch towards the fourth quarter of 2026, there are still 2025 models on dealer lots and MB is looking to clear them out with five figures of cash on each hood. Under the same terms as the aforementioned Civic lease term, a base eSprinter will run you $397 a month with a $295 acquisition fee applicable on the date of delivery. That’s a whole lot of haulage for not a ton of coin.
Plus, the eSprinter has a modern Mercedes-Benz steering wheel that feels properly nice, an absolute barrage of cup holders, a reasonably intuitive implementation of Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX infotainment system, and decently funky seat fabric. Okay, it might be greyscale, but that dotted pattern adds a dose of whimsy that’s so often missing from modern upholstery. Oh, and needless to say, you can haul a ton of stuff in an eSprinter. We’re talking about a maximum payload capacity of 2,624 pounds and more than 319 cu.-ft. of cargo space, enough to make you the savior of any friends who need to move house or pick up enormous Facebook Marketplace finds. You can even camp in it if that’s your sort of thing.
Alright, so leasing an eSprinter over a Civic probably isn’t the most pragmatic idea, but it’s neat to know that if you’ve always wanted an electric van, the best all-rounder on the market is now way cheaper than you might think. It might be tough to flex the steering wheel emblem on an Instagram story with the van dashboard in the background, but imagine how good the bit of telling people you’re pulling up in a brand new Mercedes-Benz would be.
Top graphic image: Mercedes-Benz
It may not be the Mercedes you want, but it might be the Mercedes you need.